Secrets And Lies
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Casey's raped. Sam and Emily believe her. Derek's caught in the middle. Who will he choose to believe? His stepsister or an upper classman?
1. Party Disaster

SECRETS AND LIES

DISCLAIMER

Takes place directly after "Male Code Blue". Somewhat inspired by the movie "Speak", but mostly my own concept. Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only characters that you don't recognize. I don't know Sam's last name, so I'm just gonna make something up. This is Sam\Casey with Casey\Derek friendship later on.

CHAPTER ONE: PARTY DISASTER

In the MacDonald\Venturi household, the party was in full swing. Kids mingled, drank sodas, and danced to the music. In the midst of everything, Casey MacDonald sat on the couch with her boyfriend Sam Travers, who was explaining to her the main aspects of hockey. Personally, Casey thought hockey was kind of stupid, but she decided to give the sport the benefit of the doubt since it was an important part of her boyfriend's life. As they talked, Casey's stepbrother, Derek Venturi, walked over to them. _Man, I can't believe them. Even at a school party, they gotta couple up_, he thought in disgust and aggravation. Yeah, he had accepted them as a couple, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

"Hey," he said rudely.

"What?" his stepsister snapped back.

"Quit bothering my friend," he told her.

"Dude, chill," Sam told him.

"You guys promised not to act lovey-dovey around me," Derek reminded them.

"Derek, he's explaining hockey to me. I'd hardly call that lovey-dovey," Casey stated. Then, "No offense." _Geez. I can't believe Derek. He thinks he's my boss_, she thought angrily.

"None taken," Sam responded.

"Fine. Whatever," Derek sighed. He walked away. Just then, one of the senior hockey players came walking by. He tripped, spilling a bowl of salsa on Casey's shirt. The girl jumped up with an exclamation of disgust and surprise. From his new location in the living room, Derek laughed, having had seen the whole thing. _Man. That was classic_, he thought. To make things even better, she'd have to go up to her room to change tops, meaning that it was less time she spent with Sam.

"Wow. I'm **really** sorry," he apologized.

"Oh, I guess it's okay. After all, it was just an accident," Casey stated. Then, "Excuse me, Sam. I have to go change." With that, she left the living room and went upstairs to her room. Unnoticed by anybody else, the same player followed Casey up to her room. He pushed open the door.

"Hey, what do you---" Casey's enraged question was cut off as he shut the door. "What are--get off! Stop! Stop! Don't!" Her pleas turned into sobs.


	2. Staying Silent

DISCLAIMER

Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney Channel. I only own characters you don't recognize. Since I don't know the name of the school, I'm just going to make something up. I can't remember the English teacher's name, but I'm just gonna use a name I say on for guest stars in "Grade-Point: Average". And yes, I'm aware that stranger-rape is extremely rare, but I feel that I can make it work for the story.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Casey walked the halls of Henry High. She approached her locker and spun the dial. She gave a growl of frustration when she realized she had put in the wrong combination.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked. Casey turned her head to see her best friend, Emily Davids.

"Yeah, I'm all right, Em," she answered.

"Are you sure? I mean, for the last couple of weeks, you've been kind of distant," Emily noted.

"I'm fine, Emily. Just get off my back," Casey snapped, as she finally got her locker open.

"Sor-ry!" Emily exclaimed. She watched as her friend stomped away. At the same time, Derek was making his rounds, slapping five with his friends and giving an occasional 'Sup' to people who he deemed worthy enough.

"Hey, Derek!" Emily called, catching sight of the boy.

"What?" Derek questioned in mild annoyance. He was a popular man and he didn't have time for just **anybody**.

"What's going on with Casey?" Emily wondered.

"How should I know?" Derek responded with a shrug. And he really didn't care. Casey was such a dweeb. Her problems didn't concern him.

"You're her stepbrother. If something's up at home, you'd know," Emily pointed out.

"Emily, we may **live** in the same house, but what she does, I don't really care about," Derek stated.

"Look, just---keep on eye on her. I'm worried," Emily requested.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Derek grumbled. However, in Mr. Patterson's English class, the boy watched his stepsister from out of the corner of his eye. Instead of taking notes as she usually did, she just stared blankly at her desk. Derek's brows furrowed in confusion. What was up with Casey? Meanwhile, Casey just stared at her desk, lost in her memories. She knew she was in class, but she wouldn't have been able to tell anyone what was being said. All she could focus on was that hockey player. She didn't even know who he was, just that he was a member of the senior hockey team. And that he had stolen something very precious from her.

"Miss MacDonald?" Casey looked up in surprise at the sound of Mr. Patterson's voice.

"I'm---sorry. What did you say?" she stammered. The man repeated his question.

"Um. I---I---I don't know," Casey stammered. Derek did a double take. **Casey** didn't know the answer to a question? Since when did **that** happen? Mr. Patterson called on someone else who gave the correct answer. After the bell rang, Casey hurried out of the classroom. Derek quickly followed her.

"Casey! Hey, Casey!" he called. She stopped and turned around with a sigh.

"What?" she snapped. _What does he want? Why can't he just leave me alone?_ she wondered.

"Emily said you've been acting strange," Derek stated, trying to sound disinterested.

"And what? She decided to be my keeper? Or, you just decided to make my day even **more** miserable?" Casey tossed back.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Derek asked. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was now concerned. Casey wasn't usually this snappish.

"I'm fine," Casey told him.

"Casey, if something's going on, you can tell me," Derek said softly. Casey's throat wobbled. She couldn't believe it. Derek was actually being...**nice**. Maybe she **should** tell him. She opened her mouth and then the boy's words came back at her.

_**"This is our little secret. Tell no one," he warned her.**_

"Casey, what is it?" Derek asked.

"It's nothing! Why don't you just leave me alone you obnoxious brat?" Casey snarled. She pushed past him and he stared after in surprise and concern. What was up with Casey?


	3. Letting It Out

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Blazingfire03: Well, she's embarrassed and ashamed. Yeah, I get that feeling about Derek too. Hope this update is soon enough.

Hillary Moore: New reviewer. Yay. Well, this ain't **exactly** what you wanted, but I hope it suffices.

SPOTTY: New reviewer. Cool. Yep. Totally agree. Cool. I'm flattered. Hope this is soon enough.

Ms Amazing: New reviewer. Awesome. I will. Thanks.

Windyfontaine: Yep. Ha ha. That **is** strange. Here you go.

Maibe Josie: New reviewer. Awesome handle. No prob. I did too, which is why I wrote this. Well, I'm glad you think so. If this deviates from that, please tell me politely and I'll take it down to fix. Thank you. Glad you like. I will.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Yep. I can understand that. That's fine. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Candadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize.

After storming away from Derek, Casey had headed for the girl's bathroom. She didn't know what to do. Who could she talk to? It wasn't like there was anybody she could tell. No one would believe her anyway. With an annoyed sigh, she took a notebook and pencil out of her bag. Maybe if she made a list of her feelings, she'd be able to think again. The idea was pretty stupid, but it was better than nothing. The bell for the next class rang, but the teen ignored it and began to write. A few minutes later, she heard the door open. However, she didn't even bother to look up.

"Casey?" a voice asked. It was Emily! "Casey, what are you doing?" her friend questioned. Casey just shrugged. Maybe if she ignored her, Emily would go away.

"Casey, you're late for class," Emily pointed out.

"So?" Casey queried.

"What's wrong? This isn't like you," Emily stated.

"How do you know? Maybe it **is**," Casey snapped.

"No, it's not! I don't know what's wrong with you, but you've been acting really strange ever since Derek's party two weeks ago," Emily persisted, kneeling next to her. The only reason Emily had even been there was because Casey had invited her over.

"I **don**'**t** want to talk about it," Casey snarled.

"'Don't' or 'can't'?" Emily asked softly.

**_"This is our little secret. Tell no one," he warned her._** Casey didn't answer. Emily sighed.

"If---If you don't think you can **say** what happened to you, why don't you just write it down?" she suggested. Casey flipped the page in her notebook and wrote in big letters. Emily's eyes widened when she read the words: **I WAS RAPED! **

"Oh, my gosh. Casey," she breathed. Her friend began to sob. "Casey, who was it? Sam? Was this a date-rape?" she continued. Casey continued to cry as she shook her head.

"No. It wasn't Sam. I don't know who he was. Just that he's on the senior hockey team," she answered.

"Oh, Casey," Emily sighed sympathetically. "You have to tell your parents and Sam," she told her. Casey shook her head vehemently.

"I can't tell! I can't tell anyone! I shouldn't have even told **you**!" the girl insisted.

"Casey, you can't keep this to yourself. Look at what it's doing to you," she pointed out, starting to cry herself. Emily held her friend and they cried together. Meanwhile, out in the halls, Sam and Derek were starting to get worried. They had seen Emily out in the halls sent by the teacher to look for Casey when she didn't show up for class and had followed her until she reached the girls' bathroom. They hadn't heard anything until Casey had started crying.

"What do you think's going on?" Sam wondered.

"I have no idea," Derek shrugged.

"You think it's just a girl thing?" Sam suggested.

"Ew! Dude! I don't even wanna think about **that**!" Derek exclaimed with a shudder. Then, "I'm goin' in." Sam grabbed his friend's arm.

"Dude, it's a girls' bathroom," he reminded him.

"I...don't...care," he stated. And he didn't. Something was up with Casey, and while her problems didn't usually interest him, he had a feeling that whatever his stepsister's issue was, it was serious. With that, he shook himself free from his friend's grasp and headed for the girls' restroom.

"Okay, wha---" his question died when he saw the scene. A sudden chill came over him as Emily released Casey to stand in front of them.

"What happened?" he asked. Emily blew out a breath.

"Emily, what? What is it?" Sam pestered.

"She was raped," came the quiet reply. Both boys stared in stuned silence.


	4. Internal Conflict

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Ms. Amazing: New reviewer. Yay. Love the handle. Yep. Well, wouldn't **you** be? Glad you think so. Glad you approve. Hope this is soon enough.

An-Jelly-Ca (ch 1-3): New reviewer. Yay. Cute handle. Thanks. Glad you think so. Read on and see. Yep. Yeah, it is. Hope this is soon enough. You'll have to read and see.

Hermione519: New reviewer. Cool. Harry Potter fan? Hope this is soon enough. Thanks. I will. Glad you think so.

Jaime9: New reviewer. Awesome. I will.

Xolilkelox: New reviewer. Awesome. Love the handle. I will. Me too. Glad you think so.

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SpazzyTink: New reviewer. Yay. Love the handle. Well, as long as you review, I don't care **how** you do it. Thanks. That gives me a boost.

Tommy21: New reviewer. Love it. Oh, yeah. We know from the series that he's got a soft side. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Maybe, we'll have to see. Here's more.

Houdinicat3: New reviewer. Awesome. Great handle. Sorry. Hope this is soon enough.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Good. Hmm. Good song. Gotta get it. Hope you had fun. Yeah, I noticed that as soon as I uploaded. Oh, well. Not a recurring mistake with me. That's okay. Hope this is soon enough.

SPOTTY: Yep. A few episodes, and I saw pieces of "Shout". That's fine. Thanks.

Maibe Josie: Okie-doke. Thanks. Uh, actually, that was the other way around, but I'm glad you liked it.

DISCLAIMER

Life With Derek and its characters belong to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. One reference to "The Party".

"She was **what**?" Sam gasped.

"Yeah. The jerk really messed her up," Emily nodded.

"Who was it?" Sam asked.

"She said that she didn't know. Only that she recognized him as a member of the senior hockey team," Emily replied.

"Oh, man," Sam groaned.

"Casey, I'm not doubting that you were raped. You say it, I believe it, but are you **sure** it was a hockey player?" Derek questioned. Casey glared.

"Yes, I'm sure it was a **precious** hockey player. I recognized him from that other party---you know, the one where we were trying to fix the bathroom doorknob?" she bitingly reminded him.

"Dude, how can you even ask her that?" Sam chided.

"Casey, we have to tell your parents. They **have** to know," Emily insisted. Casey made a small noise and shook her head.

"Casey, Emily's right. You **need** to talk to them," Sam agreed. She shook her head again, but allowed Emily to pull her to her feet. Sam reached out a comforting hand, but his girlfriend pulled away.

"Sam, please don't touch me," Casey implored. Derek stood watching the scene. _Aw, man. Casey was raped? Who would do such a thing?_ he wondered. It **couldn**'**t** have been a member of the senior hockey team. Those guys were so cool. They could have any girl they wanted. They didn't need to rape 'em. But then, who had? Who had made a strong, independent girl like his stepsister a sobbing mess? Derek was confused. He didn't know what to think. He blew out a breath.

"Casey, why don't---why don't I take you home?" he suggested. Casey sniffed.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, you're in no shape to be here. And if your attacker's in the school, you're not going to be safe," he told her.

"'If'? 'If'?" she repeated. "I thought you said---" she started to say.

"That didn't come out right," he interrupted. "My point is, until we figure out who it is that hurt you, we can't let you walk around like a sitting duck," he continued.

"But how are going to get home? I don't want Mom or George knowing. Please, Derek. I---I don't want this getting out," Casey sobbed. Emily sympathetically rubbed one of Casey's shoulders and Sam clenched a fist. Emily didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure how to comfort her friend. Sam wanted to just **punch** something. How could anyone do this to Casey...or anyone for that matter? She was a lady and she should've been treated with dignity and respect. Derek's eyes flashed angrily. Yeah, he was a womanizer and he flitted from girl to girl, but he had **never** pressed the issue. His dad had taught him that 'no' was 'no'. And someone hadn't listened to Casey when she had told them 'no'. He sincerely hoped that his stepsister's attacker wasn't who she said it was, but if **was**, he'd still take care of it. Boy, would he take care of it. Derek made a mental vow that no matter who Casey's attacker was---even a member of the senior hockey team---he'd make them pay.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Despite Derek's strong feelings, there's no romance behind it. It's merely a sense of family loyalty and a general respect for the opposite gender. I'm watchin' the 6th season of the _Dukes of Hazzard_ and Boss and Roscoe are decoyin' as Daisy and Lulu and they're in dresses and everything.


	5. Kindness And Report

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

An-Jelly-Ca: Yep. But there's gonna be plenty of of drama ahead. Here's more. Thanks.

RockerChick13: New reviewer. Yay. I will. Now, hold on. Now hold on. Not all hockey players are jerks. Just the one particular kid in the story.

Ms. Amazing: Hey. Yep. Not sure yet. Here's the update.

SPOTTY: Yep. But of course. No one messes with family. Here's more. Hope it's soon enough.

Windyfontaine: Aw, it was classic. Yeah, that's pretty funny. Thanks. Keep readin' and see what happens.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Glad you like. Hope this update's soon enough.

IrISH-cHiCK213 (ch 3, 4): New reviewer. Cool. Love the handle. Thanks. Glad you think so. Hope this is longer. Thanks. Nope. I do too, but I felt like I was o.d.'n on 'em. Thanks.

Tommy21: Can't argue with that.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize. Slight reference to "The Poxfather". Let me say again, that this is no way a Dasey fic, though I'm fond of them myself. Merely sibling bond and respect. I don't know where they're located, so I'm going to make something up.

It took some sweet-talking, but Derek, Sam, and Emily managed to convince Casey to let Derek take her home. Derek gently but quickly guided her through the halls. They managed to make it just as the bell rang.

"Come on," Derek said.

"I can walk by myself, Derek. You don't have to---" Casey started to say.

"Look, some creep turns you into a mess, and you think I'm just gonna abandon you? No. Absolutely not," Derek interrupted.

"I don't get it. Why are you being so nice?" Casey wondered. Derek blew out a breath.

"Case, there's a fine line between flirting and intimidation. Contrary to whatever you may believe, Dad taught me the difference," he told her.

"I just---I---I feel so---" she trailed off as she spotted a bus station.

"I can't even imagine," he stated, as they walked up. He paid for two tickets, and then they boarded.

"Guess business is booming,"Casey whispered.

"What can I say? I'm Derek Venturi," Derek stated somewhat braggingly. His stepsister managed a small smile.

"Well, **that**'**s** a start," he encouraged. She looked away. Derek clenched a fist. He hated this! He **hated** seeing a member of his family like this! Minutes later, they were home. Derek opened the front door with a key and ushered her in, where she promptly went to sit on the couch.

"Um, where do you want to go from here?" he asked hesitantly as he re-locked the door. She shrugged.

"I don't really see what we **can** do," she told him.

"Casey, you were raped. We **have** to report this," her stepbrother insisted.

"Two weeks ago! It happened **two** weeks ago! You don't think it'll be a little strange to report it now?" she burst out. Derek opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Why **had** she waited so long before telling anybody?

"Why **did** you wait so long before telling anybody?" he wondered. Now it was Casey's turn to be speechless. She hadn't meant to say anything. She hadn't meant to make him suspicious.

"Case, what is it?" her stepbrother asked softly. Casey's throat muscles constricted. This was the second time Derek had called her 'Case'. No one had ever called her that before, but she had to admit, she kinda liked it.

"I---I---just---I felt so dirty, Derek! What he took from me---it was something special! Something that he had no right to take!" Casey burst out. Derek's Adam's apple wobbled. Casey was absolutely right. It was **her** body, and only **she** had the right to decide who to give it to. Casey started to cry and Derek held her.

"That's it, Casey. Just let it all out," he murmured. He felt the wetness of her tears on her shirt, but paid it no mind. Finally, she was all cried out.

"There. Did that feel better?" he asked gently. She nodded. "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" he continued. She shook her head. "Well, you just stay here and I'll fix you something," he told her.

"You can cook?" Casey queried. He laughed.

"See? You're gettin' your fire back already," Derek told her. "You just sit here and what I'm making will only take half an hour. Promise," he told her. Without waiting for a reply, he patted her knee and went into the kitchen, where he began making soup. True to his word, it was done in thirty minutes. He brought it in and placed it in front of her. Casey smiled softly. She wasn't really hungry, but Derek **had** gone to all this effort. It wouldn't hurt to at least **try** it. She blew on a spoonful and stuck it in her mouth.

"Mmm! This is really good, Derek!" she said.

"Chicken\Beef Noodle Soup. It's my mom's recipe. She made it for me whenever I was sick or upset," Derek replied as she continued eating.

"You really miss her, don't you?" Casey realized.

"Yeah. But I get to see her when she picks up Marti," Derek said with a flippant shrug. Even so, Casey could see that she had upset him.

"I'm---I'm sorry. I---I didn't mean---" Derek waved off her apology.

"It's all right," he told her. He watched as she ate, and soon as she was finished, he took her dishes and put them in the kitchen.

"Hey. You want to go upstairs and get some rest?" Derek suggested. Casey froze. She couldn't go upstairs! She just couldn't!

"Casey. Casey!' Derek exclaimed, shaking her gently.

"No! I don't want to!" Casey cried.

"Okay, sssshhh. It's just me," Derek soothed. "Why don't you just lay down here, and I'll get you a blanket and pillow," he suggested.

"Yeah. A nap sounds good," she agreed. She cuddled into the couch and he went upstairs and grabbed a blanket and pillow out of the hall closet. Then, he brought them down to the couch.

"Thanks, Derek," Casey whispered.

"No problem, Casey," Derek responded. A few seconds later, she fell asleep and her stepbrother watched her to make sure she was actually sleeping. His mind drifted. _How could anyone do anything like this?_ he wondered again. He just didn't understand why anyone would force themselves on another person. Just then, he heard the sound of the door being opened and his brows furrowed. Who was here this early? It didn't make sense.

"Okay, I can see Derek skipping school, but---" Nora MacDonald was saying.

"Sssshhhhh," Derek interrupted, a finger to his lips.

"Don't you shush her. I want to know why---" George MacDonald began to scold.

"Dad, will you hush? Casey, just fell asleep," Derek interrupted scoldingly. "Now, we need to talk, but let's do it in the kitchen," he continued. Curious, the two followed the teen into the kitchen.

"Derek, what is going on?" George wondered.

"You remember the party you and Nora let me have a couple weeks back?" Derek queried.

"Yeah. What does that got to do with anything?" George responded.

"I just found out today that at that party, some jerk raped Casey," Derek told them.

"What?" George and Nora gasped.

"She's upset and she didn't want us to say anything, but this is big and---I don't know what to do," Derek admitted.

"Derek, calm down. You did the right thing," Nora assured.

"I'll make the call," George stated. He went to the phone and dialed a number. "Hi? Can I have the Jayville Police Department please?" he asked. Then, he waited a few minutes. Then, "Yes, this is George MacDonald and I'd like to report a rape..."


	6. Pressing Charges

SHOUTOUTS/ANSWERS

Ms. Amazing: Thanks. Good. That means I'm doing my job.

LadyR99: New reviewer. Yay. Thanks. Glad you think so. Yep.

Windyfontaine: Aw, I'm glad you think so. Yep. I will.

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Iluvacting: New reviewer. Yay me. I **love** your handle, since I'm fond of the theater myself. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

An-Jelly-Ca: Nope. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

SPOTTY: Yes, he is. Sad, but true.

KatieMalfroy19: Hey! Haven't seen ya for a while! Where've ya been? I missed ya. Thanks. Here's more. Me too. He sure is. Hope this update's soon enough.

Atruwriter: Hey, I've read your stuff. You're awesome. Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry. Here's the update, hope it's soon enough. Thanks. Well, I'll certainly take that into consideratin.

I will, I will.

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Maibe Josie: Nope. Yeah, I've been told that. Sorry. I'll try to fix it later.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize. Even though I didn't say it, Edwin and Lizzie have been picked up from school, and I'm not sure if Marti was in preschool or not, but she's home too. I'd normally add last names when bringing in a character for the first time, but I think we all remember which kids are Venturis and MacDonalds. Oh, and in a previous chap I said Nora "MacDonald" instead of "Venturi" and I accidentally switched the last names around for her and George. Sorry. Now, I know some wives keep their maiden names, but Nora didn't strike me as that type. I'm also aware that the way the charges are filed may be unrealistic, so if you know how they're **supposed** to be filed, tell me and I'll fix it.

It had seemed to Casey like she had just fallen asleep when she felt herself being shaken awake.

"Mmm? What?" she mumbled.

"Come on, Case. We gotta go," she heard Derek say.

"Where?" was her next question.

"Police station," her stepbrother.

"What? What'd you do?" Casey wondered, bolting up. _Did he somehow find out who it was? Did he beat him up? Is he in trouble?_ she thought silently.

"Now, hold on. I didn't do anything," Derek told her. _Well, not in the way you think_, he added silently.

"Well, then, why do we---" Casey began to ask.

"The police want to take your statement," Nora interrupted.

"You told them?" Casey asked. "You told them?" she shrieked, turning to Derek. She began to hit him. "I can't believe you told them! You said you wouldn't! You said you wouldn't! You promised! You **promised**!" Derek just let Casey hit him until she ran out of steam. Then, she began to cry.

"Sssssh, sssshhhhh," the teen shushed, holding his stepsister. "It's okay. It's okay, Case. It's all gonna be all right," he assured.

"Honey, we're all on your side," Nora said softly.

"That's right, Casey. We're all behind you," George agreed.

"Just one thing: Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti---they can't know," Casey requested.

"I can stay behind. Look after them," George told her.

"Thanks," Casey said softly.

"Come on," Derek gently told her. With that, they stood up and Casey, Derek, and Nora headed for the door.

"Smerek! Smerek!" Martie exclaimed, running up to him. Lizzie and Edwin were at the little girl's heels.

"Hey, Smarti. I've gotta go do something with Casey for a little while, okay?" Derek stated.

"Can we come?" Lizzie queried.

"No!" Casey cried. "I mean, no. You'll be bored," she corrected herself.

"Casey's right. We gotta go somethin' that you three would find pretty boring," Derek agreed.

"Well, what is it?" Edwin wondered.

"Edwin," Derek said in a sharp tone.

"Right. Never mind," Edwin acknowledged.

"Well, **I**'**m** not whipped into submission like **some** people. I'm going," Lizzie declared.

"No you're not! I **don**'**t** want you there!" Casey screamed. Lizzie's head jerked back as if she had been slapped.

"What?" she gasped.

"Okay. Okay, Casey. Calm down. There's no need to upset the younger kids," the eldest Venturi soothed. He mouthed an apology to the younger girl and then he followed his stepsister and stepmother out the door.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Marti wondered.

"Oh, nothing you don't need to worry about, Pumpkin," George answered, picking the girl up. "What do you say we go look for a snack?" he suggested.

"Yay!" his daughter cheered. They went into the kitchen. Lizzie and Edwin stared at each other.

"What do you think's wrong with Casey?" Edwin asked.

"I don't know. She's never snapped at me before," Lizzie replied.

"Yeah. That was pretty weird," Edwin agreed.

"And did you see the look on her face? She totally didn't want to go," Lizzie noted.

"So, why did she?" Edwin wondered. In the car, Casey had fallen silent and just stared right in front of her.

"Hey," Derek said. Casey didn't answer. He leaned over and smacked her gently. She jumped.

"Whoa. Easy," he told her. "How you holdin'?" he questioned. Casey just shrugged. "Just keep hangin'. We'll get there soon," he comforted. Nora looked in the mirror in surprise. Was Derek actually be nice to Casey? This was a first. But then again, she wouldn't question it. Casey needed all the support she could get. Finally, they were at the station.

"Let's go, kids," Nora stated. They all unbuckled themselves and then went inside. Casey blew out her breath and then followed her mother and stepbrother inside the building.

"May I help you?" the desk clerk questioned in a monotone.

"I'm Nora Venturi. I'm here for my daughter, Casey," Nora stated.

"Oh, yes. Of course," the desk clerk said, instantly becoming more attentive. She picked up the phone and pressed a button. "Sir? The Venturi family is here," she said. She listened for a few minutes. When she was done, she hung up the phone.

"An officer will be with you shortly," she stated.

"Thank you," the Venturi matriarch acknowledged. Derek fidgeted. He didn't know what to do. He was only here to support Casey. A female officer came out.

"Mrs. Venturi, I'm Detective Sarah Kingston," she introduced herself. "And this must be Casey," she noted.

"Yes, Ma'am," the girl confirmed.

"Now, according to what your father said over the phone, the rape occurred two weeks ago?" Detective Kingston queried.

"Yes, Ma'am," Casey confirmed again.

"Why did you wait so long before telling anybody about it?" Detective Kingston questioned.

"I was---ashamed. I felt so dirty. And I---" she blew out a breath. "I can't sleep in that bed ever again," she continued.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" Detective Kingston suggested. Casey nodded.

"Well, I gone up to my room to change my top because a jerk decided it'd be funny to dump salsa on me," she began. As she talked, everything came rushing back.

_**"Hey, what do you---" Casey's enraged question was cut off as he shut the door. Then, with quick strides, he walked up to Casey and forced her onto her bed. "What are---get off!" she exclaimed, struggling to get free. He pinned her hands above her head. "Stop!" Casey cried. Then he lowered her hand to her jeans. "Don't," she pleaded. Then, she began to cry. **_

When she was done, Casey realized she had begun crying. Nora put a hand to her mouth and choked back a gasping sob.

"Oh, baby. Baby, I'm so sorry," the woman said, taking the girl into a hug. Derek could only stare. He remembered that.

**_Just then, one of the senior hockey players came walking by. He tripped, spilling a bowl of salsa on Casey's shirt. The girl jumped up with an exclamation of disgust and surprise. He tripped, spilling a bowl of salsa on Casey's shirt_**.

Derek frowned, trying to figure out who it was. He knew the guy was one of the senior hockey players, but he couldn't figure out why he seemed so familiar. In his head, he replayed the last scene before Casey had gone upstairs.

**_He tripped, spilling a bowl of salsa on Casey's shirt._**

In his mind, Derek froze the boy's face. Then it clicked.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said.

"What?" his stepsister asked.

"I think I know who it is," he told them.

"Who?" Casey wondered. _Derek knows this guy's name? I can get some justice?_ she thought to herself.

"He's on the senior hockey team," Derek told them. He blew out a breath and then continued, "His name's Brent Hartwood."


	7. Evidence

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Blazingfire03: Yep, he's smart. Maybe. Oh, just keep on reading. Yeah, he has a soft spot. Hope this is soon enough.

An-Jelly-Ca: Thanks. Yep. Hope this soon enough.

LolILovedegrassiX: New reviewer. Yay. Great handle. Yeah, I caught that as soon as you told me. Sorry. My bad.

KatieMalfroy19: Thanks. I'm glad. I see. Like the first two series, never got into House. Busy, busy, busy are you. Hello. I sound like Yoda. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Here's more.

Atruwriter: Thanks. Glad you think so. Keep readin'. Patience. It will come. Hope this is soon enough.

Ms. Amazing: Keep readin' and see what happens.

IrISH-ChIcK213: Thanks. I will.

Slytherin-Angel44: New reviewer. Yay. Cool handle. Thanks. Unfortunately, it **does** happen.

Windyfontaine: Dude! I **love** that phrase. Thanks. Well, keep readin', see if you guys are right. Here's the next chap.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Yep. I'm glad. Oh, I know. The weather's been wonky all year. Ugh. Well, bright side to everything. Hope this is soon enough.

Maibie Josie: Thanks for all your advice. It was very helpful.

DISCLAIMER

Life With Derek belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize.

"What do you know about him?" Detective Kingston asked.

"Not much," Derek admitted. "He's older than me, so I only know him slightly. He and his buddies crashed a party of mine a couple of weeks ago, nearly tore the house apart," he continued.

"Can you describe him?" Detective Kingston queried.

"Well, he has chestnut hair, kinda tall, muscular. Bluish green eyes," Derek told them.

"How about you, Miss MacDonald? Did you manage to see any distinguishing features?" Detective Kingston asked.

"He---he had some kind of scar on his chest. I---I think it was a hockey wound," Casey stammered. She frowned in concentration, trying to determine whether or not she could remember anything else.

"I'm---I'm sorry. I don't---I don't remember anything else," she stammered again.

"That's okay. That's okay, sweetie. You did real good," Detective Kingston told her.

"Well," Casey absently corrected. Derek let out a small laugh. If Casey could still correct someone's grammar, she was gonna make it. Meanwhile, back at home, Edwin and Lizzie were upstairs doing what they did best: snooping.

"Lizzie, are you sure we should be doing this? I don't want Casey mad at me," Edwin said.

"Edwin, Casey snapped at me. **Me**! As if I was your brother," Lizzie reminded him. Then, "No offense."

"None taken," Edwin assured her. Lizzie pushed the door to Casey's room open.

"Whoa. Look in the corner," Edwin said in surprise. In a corner of the usually neat room, lay a pile of tangled sheets.

"What happened in here?" Lizzie wondered as they walked up to the pile.

"Maybe she just forgot to put them in the hamper," Edwin suggested.

"Maybe," Lizzie doubtfully answered.

"Yeah. I'm not really buying it either," Edwin agreed. They began to pull the sheets apart. Suddenly, their eyes went wide.

"Oh, my gosh," Lizzie gasped.

"I---I can't believe it," Edwin added.

"Dad!" Edwin cried.

"George!" Lizzie screamed at the same time. Pounding footsteps told them that the man had heard their cries.

"What? What is it?" he asked, as he held Marti in his arms. He looked at them strangely. There was nothing in the room that could cause their excitement. Just a bunch of blankets in the corner. Then, he did a double take. Dirty blankets? This was **Casey**'**s** room, not Derek's.

"Casey has dirty sheets," Marti noted.

"That's odd," George commented. He walked up to the pile and his jaw dropped. On Casey's sheets were streaks of blood and something else that George wasn't sure he wanted identified.

"What's that dark stuff on Casey's sheets?" Marti wondered.

"Edwin, call Nora. Tell her we may have something that needs to be looked at," George instructed, ignoring his daughter's question.

"Why?" Edwin asked.

"Edwin, don't ask questions. Just do as you're told," George barked.

"Okay," Edwin said in surprise. He and Lizzie went downstairs, where Edwin picked up the phone and dialed his stepmother's cellphone number.

"Hello?" he heard the woman ask.

"Nora, it's Edwin," Edwin stated.

"Hey, honey. What's up?" Nora wondered.

"Lizzie and I found some blood on Casey's sheets and for some reason, Dad got all weird and said that they had to be looked at," Edwin told her.

"Thank you, Edwin. Believe me, it's a big help," Nora stated.

"You all right? You sound strange," Edwin said in concern.

"I'm okay, Edwin. I'll be home in a bit," Nora told him. The buzz in his ear told him that Nora had hung up. Back at the station, Nora looked at Detective Kingston.

"Is everything all right, Ma'am?" the woman queried.

"My younger son and daughter found some of Casey's sheets covered in blood," Nora replied.

"Ma'am, would you mind if me and a couple of my partners came over to the house to check out those sheets?" Detective Kingston queried.

"Well, I think it should be Casey's decision," Nora told her. The officer looked at the girl. Legally, she didn't need Casey's consent since she was a minor, but she sensed that it would be better if the girl was included in the decision process.

"If...you think it'll help catch him. Sure," Casey agreed softly.

"You can follow us," Nora said. Detective Kingston rounded up two other officers, one male, one female. The police officers told their captain what was going on and then followed Mrs. Venturi out of the station and to her house. When they arrived at the house, Nora led the officers into the house.

"George! I'm home!" Nora called. "Her bedroom's upstairs. Follow me," she continued. They went upstairs.

"Okay. Could you three vacate the room please?" Detective Kingston requested.

"Smerek, what's going on?" Marti wondered as her father and siblings did as they were told.

"Grown up business, Smarti," Derek answered. The officers set up some equipment, made sure the lights were off, and then closed the door.

"What are they doing?" Edwin wondered.

"I'm not sure," Derek told him. Everyone waited for a few minutes and then the officers came out.

"Well?" Nora queried.

"Could we go somewhere private?" second female officer asked.

"Sure. We can use my room downstairs," Nora agreed. Derek and Casey followed them down the stairs.

"I can't believe I forgot about the sheets. After what happened, I just pulled them off the bed and threw them in the corner," Casey told him.

"Well, maybe they found something that could help you," Derek said optimistically. Once they were in the room, Detective Kingston faced them.

"Perhaps you'd like to sit down," she suggested gently.

"Just...tell us what you found," George stated.

"There's two blood and two semen samples. We know that one of each of these samples belong to Casey. And the other one is most likely her attacker's," Detective Kingston told them.

"What can I do to help speed this up?" Casey wondered.

"We'd like to draw some blood from you, just to be sure," the officer told her.

"Yeah, go for it," Casey agreed. "Do...we need to go back to the station for this?" she questioned.

"It'd be the idea place," was the answer.

"Let's go then," the teen agreed.

"I'll take care. Why don't you guys get dinner ready?" Nora suggested to George.

"Of course," George agreed. "Come on, Derek," he continued. With a noise of distress, Casey turned to her stepbrother.

"I kinda think Casey needs me," Derek told his father.

"Oh. Um, all right. Yes, of course. That's fine," George agreed in surprise. With that, Nora, Casey, and Derek went out of the house and followed the officers back to the station.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Yes, I know the back and forth action between the police station and Casey's house is highly unrealistic, but it just worked for this story.


	8. How I Feel

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

An-Jelly-Ca: Thanks. Yep. Yep. Hope this is soon enough. Here's more.

Windyfontaine: Good. That means I did a good job. Here's the next chap.

Mel: New reviewer. Yay! Thanks. Okay, hope this is fast enough. Thanks for reminding me. Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore him. Thanks.

SPOTTY: That's right. Exactly. Not quite yet, but soon.

KatieMalfroy19: Hey! Totally. Never seen it, no comment. 'Careful' is a good word. Glad you like. Here's more. Thanks.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. So do I. That **does** sound cool. Hope this is soon enough. Yep. That he is.

Ms. Amazing: Glad you like. Yes, he will.

Atruwriter: Thanks. Glad you think so. Really? Glad you approve. No it didn't. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. You have to wait just a little bit more. Hang in there.

Slytherin-Angel44: Thanks. So do I, and **I**'**m** the author. Yes, it is.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belong to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize.

It was late when Nora, Derek, and Casey returned home.

"Oh. I am **sooo** tired," Casey moaned.

"Then lie down on the couch. I'll get you blankets and a pillow," Derek said. She smiled.

"Thanks, Derek," she said softly. He went upstairs to the hall closet and got a blanket and pillow.

"Honey, have you talked to Sam?" Nora wondered.

"No. I've just been avoiding him," Casey admitted.

"Honey, why?" Nora asked.

"Because I've just felt so---dirty. Unattractive. I mean---why would Sam ever want me now?" Casey responded.

"Because you're the strongest woman we know," Derek replied, betraying the fact that he had overheard the conversation.

"Oh, right. Yeah, I'm **real** strong. I waited two weeks before admitting to what happened," Casey scoffed.

"Don't let this creep play mind games with you, Case. Don't give him power," Derek told her.

"As strange as this is gonna sound, Derek's right," Nora agreed. Then, "We're all tired. We don't we just go to bed?" Derek handed Casey the blanket and pillow, which she promptly made into a make-shift bed.

"All right, Derek. Head on up," Nora instructed.

"Actually, I thought I'd stay down here. That is, if Casey doesn't mind," Derek said, glancing at his stepsister.

"I'd prefer it," Casey admitted. Nora was surprised to see the two getting along, but she was happy that it was happening and too tired to argue.

"All right. That's fine. Just don't try anything," she said.

"Believe me, Mom. **Really** not an issue," Casey emphasized. Nora went to her bedroom in the basement and Derek curled up in one of the chairs.

"You wanna switch?" Casey offered, beginning to rise.

"No. Stay," Derek told her. She lay back down. Then, she closed her eyes. The next she knew, she was being woken up by a high-pitched shriek.

"Wha---wha---wha---?" she mumbled. She went to roll over. Seeing the action, Derek jumped from his chair and leaped towards her, cutting her off before she hit the coffee table.

"Smooth move, Klutzilla," he smirked.

"Jerk," she tossed back.

"You all right?" he questioned, helping her stand.

"Yeah. I'm okay," she assured him. "I just need a shower," she continued.

"Go," he told her. Casey walked upstairs just as Edwin came down.

"Where's Casey goin'?" the younger boy wondered.

"Shower," was the answer.

"Don't **you** usually go first?" his brother asked in surprise.

"She needed it more than me," came the response.

"I don't get it. Why are you being so nice to her?" Edwin wondered.

"She's goin' through a rough time right now, Ed. She needs all the support she can get," Derek told him.

"What happened?" Edwin asked.

"Something that should never happen to anybody," Derek answered. He didn't know how much his younger siblings knew, and he wouldn't even begin to know how to explain what had happened to Casey. How to make them understand. Ruffling his younger brother's hair, Derek pulled Edwin close.

"Uh, Derek. What are you doing?" Edwin wondered.

"I love you, kiddo. You know that right?" Derek responded, ignoring the question. _Wha---? Is he sick?_ Edwin wondered to himself. Either that, or his older brother had gone crazy.

"Uh, yeah. I guess. Der, are you feelin' okay?" he said out loud.

"Go get some breakfast, geek," the older boy chuckled. He released his brother, and then headed for the kitchen. For a moment, Edwin just stood there.

"Oooo...kay," he said. _That was weird. Completely and utterly weird_, he thought to himself. Clearing his thoughts with a shake of his head, Edwin walked into the kitchen to see most of his family already there.

"Where's Casey?" Lizzie asked.

"Shower," Derek responded. Then, "Lizzie, do you want milk or orange juice?"

"Milk, please," Lizzie answered.

"Coming right up," Derek promised. George and Nora watched in surprise as Derek got the beverage and proceeded to pour it for her.

"Well, what brought **this** attitude on?" Nora questioned with amazement.

"I don't know. I just...felt like being nice," Derek shrugged. Edwin swiped a piece of toast from Lizzie's plate.

"Edwin, give it back!" Lizzie cried. Edwin mockingly dangled the toast in front of Lizzie, who reached out to grab it. Then, he yanked it out of reach.

"Edwin! Give it!" Lizzie cried again.

"Edwin, knock it off. And give Lizzie back her toast," Derek snapped. Surprised, Edwin did as he was told. Then, Casey appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey, Case. What can I get you?" Derek asked. Edwin and Lizzie looked at the older boy in surprise, though Marti seemed oblivious. Derek had given Casey a nickname?

"I'm not real hungry," Casey said softly.

"Come on. You gotta eat. Just a little," Derek cajoled.

"Okay," Casey agreed. Edwin dropped his spoon onto the floor, Lizzie's jaw dropped and Marti's head shot up and they all stared in shock. Casey was actually listening to Derek? Derek and Casey ignored the amazed looks and went about their business. Casey only a few bites of a toast, but no one pushed her. They didn't want to upset her even more. Nora looked at her watch.

"Yikes. We better go or we'll be late," she stated. With that, everyone frantically got their things together. At school, Derek and Casey walked in side-by-side, with Derek giving students looks that warned them not to mess with her.

"Hey, Casey!" Emily called.

"Hey, Emily," Casey acknowledged.

"How you holdin' up?" Emily questioned.

"Okay, I guess. Lizzie and Edwin found some sheets that had some---**stuff** on it from when---you know," Casey answered.

"Were they able to test it? I mean, do they know who did it?" Emily asked.

"Brent Hartward," Derek answered.

"Brent? Isn't he like the defenseman or something?" Emily queried.

"Or something," Derek replied. Just then, Sam walked up to them.

"Hey, man," Derek greeted.

"Hi," Sam grinned. He slapped Derek five and then reached out to touch Casey's wrist.

"Sam, please don't touch me," she said, stepping away from him. _How could he even want to feel me after what happened?_ she wondered. Sam's face blanched.

"Sorry. It's not you. It's just---" Casey trailed off.

"It's gonna take time before you're comfortable with contact again. I get it," Sam finished for her.

"Yeah," Casey agreed. They continued down the hall. Suddenly, Casey froze, causing Derek to bump into her.

"Whoa. You're supposed to signal when you do that," he joked. Then, when she didn't respond, "What is it?" The girl just whimpered and stepped back so that she was in between her boyfriend and stepbrother. Somewhat confused, Derek followed her gaze. Then, his dark eyes flashed angrily and a growl rose in his throat.

"Brent."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I realize that it's unusual for Lizzie and Edwin to fight, but I wanted the other kids to see that something was up with their older siblings. I promise to show more of Sam and how the rape has affected his and Casey's relationship.


	9. Arrest

SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

WIndyfontaine: Thanks. Keep readin' and see. Let me guess: one brother's name begins with a 'D' and the other begins with an 'S', and they both have the last initial of 'W'. I will.

An-Jelly-Ca: Thanks. Thanks. Here's an update. Yeah, it is. I figured he would be.

KatieMalfroy19: Hey! Thanks. Glad you approve. Yeah, it is. Hope this is soon enough. Here's more.

SPOTTY: Too true. Too true.

LadyR99 (ch 6-8): Hey, did you review before and I missed ya? If so, sorry. If not, chalk it up to my Tommy Oliver memory. Thanks. Well, I'm glad you think so. Here's what happens next. Here's more reading to make up for cutting you off. Here's what happened. Thank you, but there are a **million** other authors on this site that are **way** better than me.

Slytherin-Angel44: Thanks. Read on and see. Well, of course he did it.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough. Me too. That happens to me too. Yeah, I think you're right. Sad but true.

Atruwriter: Thanks. Nope, not a Dasey. Just a sibling thing. Keep readin' and see. Me too. I know exactly what you mean. Thanks. Here ya go.

IrIsH-cHiCk213: First of all, I **have** to apologize for miswriting your handle in the previous shoutouts. I am **so** sorry. I just realized it. Thanks. Glad you like it. I'm rootin' for him too, and **I**'**m** the author.

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize. I don't know the Principal's name, so I'm just gonna make somethin' up. I'm also aware that Brent's identification is **way** too fast, but I'm trying to finish this fic so I can focus on my other stuff.

Derek clenched his fists. He could feel his anger rising as the older boy walked among his peers laughing as if nothing happened.

"Hey, Derek!" Brent noticed. "What's up, man?" he asked casually. That did it. Before Derek even knew what was happening, he had lunged at the older boy and shoved him against the lockers.

"Dude! What's your problem?" Brent asked.

"You dirty rat! You raped her!" Derek shouted.

"Derek, stop!" he heard someone yell. It sounded like Casey, but he couldn't be sure.

"You come into **my** house and then you rape my sister?" he cried, shaking him.

"Dude. Chill. It's not like I didn't do anything she didn't want to do," Brent said oily. Derek reared back a fist and punched him in the face.

"She said, 'No'. She said 'Stop'. Both which you ignored," he snapped.

"Come on. A quiet girl like that. She was just **dying** to be taken," the older boy smirked. Derek punched him again.

"All right! That is enough!" Principal Harris shouted. However, the boy kept punching. After awhile, he felt himself being pulled away from the other boy.

"Keep him away from me!" Brent cried.

"What is going on here?" Principal Harris questioned.

"I was just walking down the hall minding my own business when this little psycho attacked me," Brent accused.

"He insulted Casey," Derek shot back.

"You should call the cops. He assaulted me," Brent stated.

"Yeah, get them down here. I'm **sure** they have plenty of evidence against you by now," Derke sneered.

"What's going on?" a kid whispered.

"Derek went ballistic and attacked Brent. Then he accused him of raping Casey," another kid whispered back.

"No way," the first kid said.

"Way," his friend confirmed.

"Now, what was this all about?" Principal Harris demanded.

"Casey's a total wreck because of this jerk!" Derek shouted.

"Derek. Derek, it's okay. Just calm down," Casey said.

"No! It's not okay! He comes into our house and then betrays our trust!" Derek cried. Before he could say anything else, two police officers walked in.

"Brent Hartwood?" a familiar asked.

"Detective Kingston?" Casey questioned in surprise.

"Oh, man. You again? What now?" Brent wondered. Confused, Casey and Derek looked at each other. **Again**? How did Brent know her?

"Brent Hardwood. Come with me," Detective Kingston told him crooking a finger.

"What do you want now?" Brent asked, doing as he was told.

"Brent Hartwood, you're under arrest for the rape of Casey MacDonald," Detective Kingston responded, cuffing him.

"What? This is---" Brent began to protest.

"Save it. We matched up your prints with your last assualt. Perhaps you remember her: Stacey Cainbridge?" Detective Kingston interrupted.

"Well, what about Venturi? He punched me in the face," Brent accused.

"Kid, you raped his sister. At the very **least** you're gonna get socked in the nose," Detective Kingston retorted. Casey leaned into Derek, who hugged her briefly. Sam put a hand on her shoulder. Casey tensed slightly, but then relaxed.

"It's okay, Case. You're safe now," Derek murmured.

"Thanks, you guys. Thanks for everything," Casey whispered. It was then that Derek noticed everyone staring at them.

"What's everyone lookin' at? Disperse," he told them. Everyone scattered.

"Derek, I couldn't have done that better myself," Principal Harris noted. Then, "Casey, are you sure you're all right?"

"Yes, I'm okay. At least...I'm gonna be," Casey replied.

"If you and brother would like to go home early today---" Principal Harris began.

"You know what? That would be great," Derek interrupted.

"Derek!" Casey objected.

"What? I'm---I'm just thinking of **you**," he responded.

"Uh-huh. And I'm sure the fact that you can go home early has **nothing** to do with it," she said.

"No," he anwered. Then, "Well, not much."

"Oh, good grief," she said, shaking her head.

"Miss MacDonald?" the principal queried.

"Well, actually, I---I **am** feelin' kinda shaky," she admitted.

"Then, come on. Let's go," he told her. With that, the two walked out of the building.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

The "my sister" line was **not** a mistake. I actually wanted Derek to say it that way. I'm most likely not gonna do a trial because this story is becoming long enough as it is.


	10. How It All Turned Out

DISCLAIMER

LWD belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. This is the last chap, which means I can focus on my series again. Hope you enjoy. Sorry if everything's too fast.

As soon as they got home, Casey sat on the couch.

"Can I get you anything?" Derek offered.

"I---don't know. I just---I just can't stop shaking," Casey admitted.

"Probably nerves," Derek surmised.

"Yeah. Probably," Casey agreed.

"I'm gonna make you some of that Chicken\Beef Noodle Soup," Derek said.

"Oh, that'd be great," Casey stated.

"Coming right up, milady," Derek promised. He went into the kitchen to get the ingredients. A few minutes, the smell drifted into the living room. Casey inhaled and made herself comfortable on the couch. Oh, such a wonderful smell. So calm. So soothing. Just like Derek had been through this whole mess. The opening of the door pulled Casey from her thoughts.

"Mom, George. Edwin, Lizzie, Marti. What are you doing home?" Casey questioned.

"Didn't you? It's Family Day!" Marti cheered.

"Huh?" Casey asked as Derek came out of the kitchen to see what what was going on.

"Detective Kingston called. She told us what happened," Nora answered.

"Yeah. Apparently, the sheets that Edwin and Lizzie found really made the case," George.

"I don't get it. What was the big deal?" Edwin wondered. The older stepsiblings looked at each other. Should they tell them? Casey gave a nod of consent.

"Hey, guys. Come here," Derek requested. Curious, Lizzie and Marti did so. Lizzie sat in Casey's lap and Marti sat in Derek's lap. Only Edwin remained where he was.

"Edwin...**now**," Derek snapped. With a slight huff, the boy did as he was told.

"What's this all about?" he asked, sitting next to his older brother.

"In a few years, you guys are gonna start dating," Derek said seriously.

"Even me?" Marti asked.

"Well, you might take a little longer, Marti," Casey chuckled.

"The point is: some issues are gonna come up," Derek continued.

"Like what?" Marti asked.

"Wait a minute. You're not gonna give us 'the talk' are you?" Edwin interjected.

"Ah, no. Not exactly," Casey said with some embarrassment.

"Uh, Derek, perhaps **I** should do this," George suggested.

"Georgie, why don't we just see how they handle it?" Nora suggested.

"Edwin, will be quiet? This is serious," Derek snapped. Then, "Like I said, you and Lizzie are gonna start dating in a few years. And there are some ground rules that you should be aware of."

"I know, I know. You told me: never date a dog," Edwin recited.

"Derek!" Casey exclaimed.

"I'm talkin' about some different rules here, Ed," Derek corrected. "As you grow older, your body's gonna start acting differently and you're gonna want to act on these feelings," he began.

"But **maybe** the person you're with won't feel the same way," Casey chimed in.

"And you **have** to respect that," Derek stated.

"But, what if---" Edwin began.

"No buts. The only one who can choose what to with their body is that person," Casey interrupted.

"So like, say a boy wants to kiss me and I don't feel comfortable with it?" Lizzie asked.

"That's your right. And even though he may not like it, he **has** to respect it," Derek answered.

"Hey, Derek. Where is all this coming from?" Edwin asked. Casey and Derek looked at each other. She sighed and nodded that it was all right.

"Casey was---well, she was **hurt** at the party that I threw a couple of weeks ago," Derek replied.

"Someone hurt Casey?" Marti asked.

"That's right, Smarti. They hurt her very badly," Derek answered.

"How?" Edwin questioned.

"You remember those dirty blankets that you and Lizzie found?" Derek reminded him.

"Yeah, there was bloo---oh my gosh. You mean that was Casey's blood?" Edwin asked as his and Lizzie's eyes widened with understanding.

"Someone did that to Casey?" Lizzie questioned.

"Yeah," Derek nodded. Just then, they heard a shrill whistle.

"Oh! Casey's soup," Derek remembered.

"I'll get it," George said. He went into the kitchen, got the bowl, and brought it back to Casey, who blew on a spoonful of the soup, and then stuck it in her mouth. Just then, the phone rang. Everyone but Derek and Casey stood up in nervous expectation. The spoon lay in the soup forgotten.

"I got it," George said. He picked up the phone. Then, "Detective Kingston. Oh, they picked him up?" Derek and Casey looked at each other. That wasn't news to them. They were there.

"It was?" George asked.

"Dad, what's she saying?" Derek questioned. George motioned for him to be quiet and kept listening.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Detective," he said. Then, he hung up.

"Well, what's the verdict?" Casey asked nervously.

"Guilty. Apparently, Brent's DNA matched up with another rape and he's going to go away for a **very** long time," George answered. Casey laughed and Derek hugged her.

"Casey, that's great," congratulated.

"Derek, thank you. I don't know what I would've done without you," she told him.

"Anytime, sis," he assured. "Now, get out of my seat," he continued. They laughed.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE

If you or someone you know has been raped, contact the RAINN national hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).


End file.
